Friday, June 16, 2017

A Leap Into the Unknown...

Last night, I trained at the track as usual. However, the last few Thursdays have been a bit different. After the normal track work, I’ve been working on my long jump technique with a couple of the younger guys, who have been focusing on the long jump.

My technique until recently could be described as “running into the pit”, but one of these guys was able to give me some pointers. That’s where the real challenge started. The rapid movements required to execute a proper take off overloaded both my ability to execute them, and even more interesting, my ability to sense what they guys were helping me with. Once I realised this, working through the issues became a bit of a collaboration between is, to find the most effective way to assist my learning. With some persistence, my technique is improving steadily. I’m only just beginning to be able to sense and execute the movements required, but the signs are promising.

Anyway, I’m firmly in unknown territory here. Executing rapid one-off movements accurately has always been a challenge for me. Now, I am exploring my capabilities, and seeing how I can use my strengths to learn, despite the obvious challenges. In time, I hope to work on my throws as well, which will have similar challenges. Who knows what else I’ll discover along the way. :)